Mar 17, 2015

If you visit the supermarket and face a dilemma when you stand before the eggs section, then this article is just for you. I provide a comparison between duck and chicken eggs here, which are two of the most popular bird eggs used in cooking all over the world, besides goose and quail eggs. When you have plenty of choice, decisions are difficult to make. This comparison might just help you decide which one to go for.

Difference Between Duck and Chicken Eggs

Though chicken eggs are the most commonly used, duck eggs are still catching on as effective alternatives. Much less is known about duck eggs, compared to chicken eggs. So going through this article might just clear all the mystique about it.

Size

Duck eggs are quite large compared to chicken eggs, which makes them easily distinguishable. Another difference is that the duck egg's shell is a lot tougher than a normal chicken egg's shell. Though that makes them a lot more difficult to crack, it is also supposed to provide them with a considerably longer shelf life. By long, I mean six weeks at maximum, if you keep them refrigerated. Still, eating fresh eggs is highly recommended.

The large size of the duck egg gives it a larger yolk to white ratio than a chicken egg. So if you want more yolk, duck eggs are what you should go for. With the larger size, you definitely get more for your money, compared to a chicken egg.

Nutrition

A 100 gm of duck egg will provide about 185 KCal of energy, compared to 149 KCal of energy provided by a chicken egg. Both types of eggs, match each other in terms of carbohydrate content, while the protein content is slightly higher in the duck eggs compared to chicken eggs. The mineral content of duck eggs is very similar. Both contain selenium, manganese, zinc, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. The duck eggs contain slightly higher amounts of all these minerals.

Same is the case with vitamin content in both of them. The vitamin content too is similar, but duck eggs have a higher amount of each one of them, which includes thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and retinol.

100 gm of duck eggs will have about 3.68 gm of saturated fat, compared to 3.1 gm in chicken eggs. The monounsaturated fat content is about 50% more in duck eggs, as against chicken eggs. The amino acid content profile is also similar for both eggs, but again duck eggs contain more of them. The amino acids included are threonine, isoleucine, trytophan, leucine, methionine, lysine, cystine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, valine, serine, glycine, proline, aspartic acid, histidine, alanine, and arginine.

So all in all, duck eggs are a good choice nutritionally. The only minus point that duck eggs have is the considerably higher cholesterol content, compared to chicken eggs. 100 gm of duck eggs will contain 884 mg of cholesterol, compared to 425 mg in chicken eggs. That's why, people with history of heart disease should stay away from consuming duck eggs or moderate their intake. People who are looking for a high protein diet, can avoid eating the yolk, while profiting from the protein laden egg white.

Taste & Utility

Duck eggs provide a taste that is different and tastier than chicken eggs according to most users. Individual tastes might vary, so it is best if you try one out to decide! Everything that you do with a chicken egg, can be done with a duck egg. That includes scrambling them, poaching and baking. In fact, most expert bakers report that using duck eggs makes their cakes rise higher and provides them with excellent taste due to their high fat content. As the water content in duck eggs is lesser than chicken eggs, you need to be careful not to overcook them, which has a tendency to make them rubbery. The larger water content also makes the duck egg white harder to whip, but they are worth the effort. Salted ducks eggs are a popular Chinese recipe, that you might want to try out. There are plenty of duck egg recipes that you can make.

In conclusion, duck eggs are definitely worth a try as a chicken egg substitute.